Calvert
Calvert is an Unseelie Redcap Wilder in the employ of Duke Florian of House Ailil. Overview Calvert is living proof that Florian holds no prejudice due to skin color or kith. He's the duke's bodyguard and chief terrorist. The wilder remembers little of his former life except poverty: too little to eat and too many men visiting his mama. He never had nice clothes and the kids teased him so much he finally dropped out of school. He had no idea what being called a "moonpie" meant until he was almost 11. He just knew he wasn't as dark as most of the black kids in town or white enough to "pass." To earn money, Calvert took to dancing and singing in the street. It only took a week for him to realize that the people didn't want to see the "king" he knew best, B.B. King; they wanted to see him sing Elvis songs. And so was born "the Black Elvis." even imitating the King wasn't enough to consistently put food on the table and so he took to robbing tourists who looked like they had a lot of money and no backbone. He started with an old knife but moved up to a gun. His second career was more lucrative than his first until the night he tried to rob a young man who was well-dressed and looked a little like Elvis. Assuming the guy was a tourist, he backed him into an alley and demanded his money. Duke Florian had no intention of giving the mulatto his money. He did hand over a wad of folded bills in an ornate clip, thus enchanting the robber so he could deal with him. To his surprise (and Calvert's), the robber dropped the gun and fell to the ground, exploding with Glamour an he underwent his Chrysalis. Seeing the newfound changeling's kith, Florian wasn't surprised to find him working as a shakedown artist. When Calvert awakened from the Dream Dance, Florian made him a proposition: in return for Calvert's loyalty, the duke would teach him about being a changeling. A few local redcaps would help Calvert adjust. Seeing that he had nothing to lose, Calvert accepted. He showed natural aptitude for martial and security skills, becoming a deadly fighter within two years. Florian made Calvert his personal bodyguard and recruited him into the Southern Cross. From the beginning, Calvert excelled in hit-and-run raids, dross thefts, and chimerical cross burnings in front of various freeholds, all without getting caught. He is now the premier terrorist of the society and much envied and admired by lesser redcaps in the duchy. He fully agrees with Florian's assessment of the South's position relative to the Northern Kithain and wholly agrees that decentralization and a new king are called for to remedy the problem. He just thinks the new king ought to be himself. After all, noble rule shouldn't be taken as a foregone conclusion any more than he would accept Northern rule was preordained. This wilder is quite skilled in Chicanery and Legerdemain and is learning more about Primal all the time. From contacts among the Shadow Court, he has also learned the Art of Contempt. While he's a bully whose talents lie in causing pain and breaking bones, he's also a master of finesse, slipping in and to of places without being noticed. When he can, he loves dancing and singing as the Black Elvis: the finest Elvis impersonator in Memphis. Because he's usually quiet, most people make the mistake of thinking he isn't overly bright. Their mistake, and they only get one. Image Calvert has taken steps to overcome his light-brown skin and curly black hair to look as much like Elvis (long sideburns, sunglasses, white suit, and gold belt) as possible whenever he performs. When not "on," he looks like a fairly successful young man; perhaps a manger/trainee at McDonalds or some such. In fae mien, he has grey skin and an overly large mouth filled with yellow teeth. His very anonymity as a redcap works in his favor, making it hard for others to pick him out from a gang of his kith. Personal Calvert always felt the difference between the haves and have-nots. Funny how it's always the have-nots who notice the inequity. Duke Florian showed him how to hit back. Now he's a leader of the Southern Cross. Someday, he'll even show the duke what true equality means when he takes his place as ruler of the Kingdom of Dixie. Until then, he'll play along and build his own power base among the commoners in the duchy. References # CTD. Kingdom of Willows, pp. 126-127. Category:Unseelie (CTD) Category:Wilders (CTD) Category:Redcaps (CTD) Category:Shadow Court (CTD)